Current Tends in Psychometric Assessment

1. Current Tends in Psychometric Assessment 16th September 2014 Loughborough University

2. Overview • A quick recap about psychometrics • Why are tests used? • Who uses tests? • Trends in testing

3. Psychometric tests • “an objective and standardised measure of a sample of behaviour” Anastasi and Urbina (1997) • ‘psycho’ = mind • ‘metric’ = measurement

4. Psychometric tests • administered in a standardised way • scored and interpreted in a standardised way • reliable – meaning they are accurate • valid – meaning they are appropriate for purpose • rigorously developed according to best practice standards

5. Psychometric tests

6. Types of tests & assessment • Cognitive tests – learning, reasoning, capacity (what) • Personality – style, preferences (how) • Motivation – drive, energy, engagement (why) • SJTs / simulations – judgement, practical knowledge, ‘common sense’ (what & how)

7. Cognitive tests • Focus of much of today as they are the most… • widely used • widely researched • open to preparation • feared! • They cover tests of ability, aptitude and attainment

8. Abstract ability Verbal ability ‘g’ or general ability Numerical ability Types of cognitive test • Ability tests • Assess what a person is capable of doing • May assess general or specific abilities

9. Types of cognitive test • Attainment tests • Assess what a person has learnt • e.g. educational qualifications, accountancy • Influenced by ability, so association • Aptitude tests • Abilities related to acquiring specific skills • Future-oriented, i.e. used to predict • In practice, often similar to ability tests

10. Personality and motivation • Self-report measures • No(?) ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers • Assess typical behaviours • Personality - distinction between ‘trait’ and ‘type’ • Motivation related to drives and values – increasing emphasis, especially on fit

11. SJTs • Can assess behaviours, skills, competencies • Based on understanding and responding to scenarios • Provide ‘low fidelity simulations’ • Relatively distinct from other assessments

12. SJTs

13. Structured interviews Astrology Unstructured interviews Graphology SJTs Ability tests Assessment centres References 0 Effectiveness 1 Self-assessment Personality assessments Why are tests used? • Validity • ‘Level playing field’ • Objectivity • Accuracy

14. Popularity • CIPD Resourcing and Talent (2013) • Competency-based interviews – 82% • Interviews on contents of CV / app form 71% • General ability tests – 45% • Assessment centres – 43% • Personality / aptitude questionnaires – 42% • Online tests – 22% • Based on 462 organisations across the UK

15. Popularity • c80% of FTSE100 companies • c70% of SMEs • Tendency for greater use in private sector than public or voluntary sectors

16. Popularity – SHL 2010 • Assessed more than 5 million people in over 160 countries in the last 12 months • Worked with 10,000 customers • More than 60% of the Fortune Global 500 used SHL: • 80% of Technology companies • 80% of Food and Beverage companies • 70% of Financial Services companies • More than 80% of the FTSE 100 used SHL, including every Telecommunications company • 2014 estimated 25 – 30 million tests

17. Trends in testing • More tests at all stages of recruitment • Technology is everywhere, increasing accessibility • Testing earlier on in recruitment process • Ability tests • High use • Online, unsupervised • Validation? • Item banks and adaptive testing

18. Trends in testing • Personality assessment • Increasingly used as a screening tool • Bespoke versions, focus on key attributes • Can be used to derive competencies • SJTs • Typically used as an early filter • Most likely to be bespoke to organisation • Vary in terms of ‘fidelity’ • Most advanced ones are ‘game-like’

19. Any questions?